willie



@eine tutes @anni ffice Letters Patent No'. 73,328, [lated January 14, 1868.

IMPROVBD BGOT-HEEL.

@In tlgthnle referat tu in these ttttcts ntoit nu matting tutt at 'tigt stun.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, Gontran-Hessian and HERMAN IjWILLru, both of the city of Bufalo, in the county of Erie, andState of New York, have invented Va new and improved Heel for Boots and Shoes; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and `etcaet description thereof, refer-ence being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improvement, a portion of the rubber covering being removed to show the frameA.

Figure 2 is a plan of the frame A detached.

Figure 3 is an elevation of a heel,`a part being shown in section.

Like letters indicate corresponding parts in thc several igures.

Our invention consists of a metallic skeleton-frame, having a anged exterior rim, said frame being, with the exception of the rim, embedded in India. rubber, and provided with a. fixed screw, whereby, together with other screws, it is attached to the boot or shoe.

i As represented in the drawings, the frame A is shown separately in tig. 2. The bars b b, which may be more or less in number, are on a horizontal plane, placed centrally of the depth ot` the rim e, leaving a flange extending both above and below the bars, which serves to limit the lateral expansion of the rubber, restricting it to the size of the heel. 'lhe rim is inished on its outer surface to correspond with the shape ofthe heel, the

lower portion of the same, (Z, being built up of leather in the usual manner. Centrally of thc rear of the frame,

a screw, c, is permanent-ly affixed, by casting or otherwise, and in front, two or more holes,ff, for loose screws,

are provided.

The frame so constructed is placed in a. suitable mould, and India rubber in a melted state is introduced,

which forms around it, leaving only the exterior surface of the rim uncovered. The rubber is enst flush with the edge of the flange or rim on the side which joins the leather heel; but on the other or tread-suriace, g', it is made of any degree of thickness, which service may require, varying according to the size and kind of boot to which it is applied. In attaching to the boot, the fixed screw e isinserted in a hole, made at the proper place in the leather heel, and screwed in by turning the frame, until it is brought down to the leather, when the additional loose screws are inserted through holes ff, which may be located at any part of the front side, securing it permanently. The leather is trimmed down to the size of the rim, and the heel polished.

lVe are. aware that metallic plates have been employed, and also metallic rims or sockets, for applying a rubber block to the outside of the heel but these forms are objectionable, as being too rigid, liable to break, and too heavy, from the weight of metal required by them. The elasticity oi' the rubber is in a. measure impaired by a solid plate of metal intervening between it and the leather; but in our invention we secure the utmost lightness, by means of the skeleton-frame, retain the elasticity by having the major part of the rubber rest on the leather, itself' a partially-elastic substance, while the rubber is effeetually prevented from spreading by the flanges of the rim, which encircle it both above and below the bars. The permanently-attached screw c also affords a more ciectual mode of correctly applying and securely attaching to the boot'than has hitherto been used.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-,

A boot-heel, consisting of the embedded skeleton-frame A, provided with the flanges on the rim e, fixed screw e, and rubber y, constructed and arranged substantially as set forth.

'In witness whereof, we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GOTTLIEB HENNING, HERMAN I. WILLIE.

Witnesses:

JAY HYATT, J. It. Duane. 

